1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to earth-working apparatus and, more particularly, to a counterweight assembly adapted to be connected to a tractor or an earth-working implement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Counterweights are often used for counterbalancing purposes and are provided with apparatus for detachably securing the counterweight to a tractor and alternately to an earth-working apparatus such as a backhoe. When the backhoe has been removed from its vehicle, it is often desirable to place the counterweight on the rear of the tractor for improved stability.
For example, Myers U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,342, owned by Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Illinois, the assignee of the present invention, shows an improved counterweight structure for use in counterbalancing an earth-working machine. The counterweight assembly is removable from either the blackhoe or the tractor, or both. Also, the counterweight is adapted for selective mounting on a front loader bucket or a bulldozer blade by a support member.
The counterweight structure as shown by Myers is simple and economical and provides desirable features such as its ability to be detached from either the backhoe or the tractor, or both. The associated hydraulic lines between the two equipments must be connected and disconnected during mounting and demounting. This procedure is cumbersome and time-consuming and, if the operator is not careful to reconnect the open lines to each other when the equipments are detached from each other, a loss of hydraulic fluid may result.